Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,602 per month in Brookings, SD vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,666 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,731 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brookings, SD costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brookings, SD sits 94% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$11.67 MX$202

51.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.76 $40.76

$41.88 MX$726

-2.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 $11.60

$10.40 MX$180

11.54%

Cappuccino

$4.56 $4.56

$3.61 MX$62.6

26.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.47 MX$25.45

74.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.91 MX$15.80

116.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.03 MX$52.6

98.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$4.47 MX$77.4

61.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.38 MX$23.83

-32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.84 MX$31.93

97.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$1.61 MX$27.82

230.43%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.57 MX$44.52

59.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$8.49 MX$147

32.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.47 $14.47

$8.49 MX$147

70.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$10.99 MX$190

6.19%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$2.73 MX$47.25

126.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.50 MX$25.92

3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$1.96 MX$33.93

243.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$2.12 MX$36.70

162.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.86 MX$32.30

68.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.17 MX$37.67

67.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.07 MX$18.59

128.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.05 MX$18.18

69.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$4.19 MX$72.6

185.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 $11.98

$10.28 MX$178

16.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.67 MX$28.87

29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.49 MX$43.12

95.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.54 MX$9.37

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.10 MX$53.8

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.46 MX$42.66

-29.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.99 $23.99

$3.24 MX$56.1

640.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.26 MX$21.83

-31.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.7K $29.7K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-1.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.3K $26.3K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

12.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$164 $164

$84.0 MX$1,456

95.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$50.8 $50.8

$22.21 MX$385

128.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$29.65 MX$514

131.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 $42.89

$52.6 MX$912

-18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$4.95 MX$85.7

144.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,622 $1,622

$198 MX$3,438

717.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K $26.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

391.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 $41.62

$35.95 MX$623

15.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 $34.94

$40.06 MX$694

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$78.8 MX$1,365

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$86.5 MX$1,499

37.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$977 MX$16.9K

63.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 $1,361

$471 MX$8,158

189.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,659 $2,659

$1,595 MX$27.6K

66.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$1,215 MX$21.1K

85.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,806 $2,806

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-30.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,125 $3,125

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-52.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.42

-51.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brookings, SD: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Brookings, SD versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Brookings, SD versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Brookings, SD vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brookings, SD vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brookings, SD costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,903 per month in Brookings, SD and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Brookings, SD and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Brookings, SD, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Brookings, SD at $2,602. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brookings, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,261 versus $2,602 in Brookings, SD. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brookings, SD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.